Opinion | Politicking Over Pahalgam

Within a week of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Congress, which had initially extended support to the government, dropped the pretence of offering unstinted backing in the fight against terror. In a series of posts on X, the party accused the Modi government of misleading the public on an “intelligence failure”. Suddenly, for the Congress, a terror attack on India no longer seemed like an opportunity to unite the country. Rather than holding Pakistan accountable for the terror strike, the Congress’s official handle on X questioned why the government had claimed that the Baisaran grounds – referred to as ‘Ground Zero’ – were closed to the public until June 2025.

The party alleged that the grounds had been opened without proper security deployment or clearance. Quoting Pahalgam officials, it stated that “pony riders and tour operators claimed it remained open throughout the year”. The apparent purpose of these posts was to settle a petty score by contradicting the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) claim that the Baisaran Valley was opened to tourists on April 20 without prior intimation to security forces. Intelligence officers reportedly told an all-party meeting on April 24 that the Baisaran grounds were typically accessible to tourists and Amarnath pilgrims only from June onwards.

Embarrassing Comments

The Congress defended its critical stance on matters of national security. All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal explained that, during the all-party meeting on the Pahalgam attack, the Congress had expressed unequivocal support for the government’s actions. “We’ll raise some questions that the government needs to answer, but we are with the government to finish this cross-border terrorism. It’s very clear that Pakistan is behind it, and in our CWC [Congress Working Committee] resolution, we directly mentioned it. We want the government to take steps, and the entire Opposition is ready to support them,” he said. This statement suggested that the senior Congress leader saw no contradiction in certain remarks by party leaders and ministers that could be exploited by Pakistan. For instance, Karnataka Excise Minister RB Timmapur dismissed anecdotal evidence from survivors who claimed that their male companions were shot after their religion was identified. Similarly, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly declared that there was no need for war with Pakistan over the Pahalgam attacks – a statement that caused significant embarrassment.

Timmapur’s Remarks

Timmapur’s comments appeared at variance with the party’s stated position. It is hard to imagine that an untutored Timmapur would independently question whether the “perpetrators of the attack in Pahalgam even asked the name and religion of the victims”. He was evidently following the Congress playbook when he insisted, “It is unfair to target a particular religion over the attack.” This stance came even as the wife of a victim from Shivamogga recounted on national television how she and her son helplessly watched her husband being shot dead after the terrorists asked for his name and religion. 

Siddaramaiah also drew attention from Pakistani media for his controversial remark that there was “no need for war” over the Pahalgam terror attack. The state BJP dubbed him “Pakistani Ratna” for his statement. Among the Opposition, the only leader who refrained from criticising the government was Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. He rejected viewing the Pahalgam terror attack through the lens of intelligence failure, arguing that no country has foolproof intelligence. He cited the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, as an example.

Denying Religious Motive

It wasn’t just one or two Karnataka Congress leaders questioning the government about the intelligence failure on April 22. Several Karnataka ministers insisted that the terrorists did not shoot based on religion. BJP leader Arvind Bellad found it troubling that Congress leaders seemed to justify the terrorists’ actions by denying any religious motive.

While AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed full support for the government’s stance on Pakistan, it seemed contradictory that Congress ministers like Santosh Lad and Priyank Kharge were speaking against it. Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar added his perspective, suggesting that the Pahalgam attack was a grim reminder of unresolved issues from the Partition of India and the 1971 war with Pakistan. He questioned whether Muslims in India feel “accepted, cherished, and celebrated”. Aiyar also reflected on Pakistan’s evolution post-Partition, particularly after the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

Four days after the Pahalgam terror strike, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a strong message from Madhubani, Bihar. In what could be described as a war cry, he declared that the Pahalgam attackers and conspirators would be punished “beyond their imagination”. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat echoed this sentiment, emphasising that while non-violence is a core value for India, “teaching a lesson to hooligans” is equally important.

Despite this, the Congress, through a series of posts on X, questioned why PM Modi had not yet visited Kashmir. The party continued to mock the Prime Minister for avoiding Islamabad’s name. In this context, the party’s exhortation to its leaders to adhere to the CWC resolution seems somewhat ironic. The underlying intent, however, appears to be laying the groundwork for a special Parliament session to discuss the Pahalgam attack.

(Lakshmi Iyer has been covering politics for four decades in Delhi & Mumbai. She is on X @liyer).

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author